We will also stream this seminar via Zoom. For the link, contact us: pennmindcore@sas.upenn.edu

Adrienne Fairhall
Department of Physiology and Biophysics
Co-director, Institute for Neuroengineering
University of Washington

Variability, learning and robustness in birdsong

The songbird zebra finch is an exemplary model system in which to study trial-and-error learning, as the bird learns its single song gradually through the production of many noisy renditions. It is also an ideal system in which to study the maintenance of motor skills, as the adult bird actively maintains its song and retains some residual plasticity. Motor learning occurs through the association of timing within the song, represented by sparse firing in nucleus HVC, with motor output, driven by nucleus RA, and is typically thought to occur via reinforcement learning in which song variations are injected via a secondary thalamocortical-basal ganglia pathway. Here, we consider other contributions of variability to song learning and robustness. First, we show through modeling that the small level of observed variability in HVC can result in a network which is more easily able to adapt to change, and is most robust to cell damage or death, than an unperturbed network. In collaboration with Carlos Lois’ lab, we also consider the effect of directly perturbing HVC through viral injection of toxins that affect the firing of projection neurons. Following these perturbations, the song is profoundly affected but is able to almost perfectly recover. We characterize the changes in song acoustics and syntax, and propose models for HVC architecture and plasticity that can account for some of the observed effects. Finally, we suggest a potential role for inputs from nucleus Uva in helping to control timing precision in HVC.

Pizza will be served. Please bring your own beverage!